Chapter 14 Tower of Trial Carrying it Once is? (Third Floor First Part)

The third floor of the Tower of Trial. Five hours and 20 minutes remaining until sunset.

We entered the door and came into the next place.
Wind keeps on blowing. There's a huge space in front of us. It's larger than a concert hall.
However, there is no floor. Deep darkness spread everywhere. You can't see the bottom.
I tried dropping a pebble, but I couldn't hear its sound hitting the bottom.

A narrow 50 cm wide floor extends on that space.
The road is twisting like a snake until the door at the opposite bank.

There's a one-meter tall round pillar next to the door, a torch with green flame is relentlessly burning on top of the pillar. It's a so-called bonfire.
The flame is probably green because of magic.
<TLN: The raw is not clear on this, but it appears the door here is different from the other door mentioned right before, the one with the bonfire seems to be the entrance door.>

I notice the bandage on the old man's arm and ask him.
"Is your wound alright?"
"Yea, no biggie'."
"Just in case, I'll heal you with magic."
"You can even use healing magic! Yer' way too awesome."
I ignore the surprised old man and quickly chant, <<Complete Recovery>> and <<Detoxification>>.

Celica exclaims, wow while seeing the light emitted from my palm.
"I'm sure that Keika-sama can do anything."
"Don't rely on me too much okay."
"Yes, but that means, I'll work hard to be useful."
"Then go read the letters on the bonfire pedestal while I'm healing the old man."
"I understand."
Celica turns over and heads to the bonfire while fluttering her skirt.

Celica looks back while squatting down.
"Keika-sama, it's written that 『Light the candles from the flame on the bonfire and continue onward. Otherwise, the green door will not open.』"
"Candles?"
"There are five of them behind the bonfire's pedestal."
"Five huh.... I guess they're not spares but we have to use them all."

I step on the narrow footing in the dark space.
I put my hand on top of the open hole.
SWOOSH!
A gust of wind blew, hitting my hand, fluttering my Wafuku's sleeve.
Does it blow from the hole below? No it's sucking in via magic.

"I see. The flame will be extinguished if we don't walk on the narrow footing huh."
I'd probably get dragged down if I flew in the air.

I'm thinking.
You have no choice but to carry them while concentrating. While paying attention to your hands and feet, and of course you also have to be wary of traps and monsters too.
--To whittle down the mental strength huh. Your nerve will surely wear down with this.

Celica stands up with thick candles of around 20cm long.
"Well then Keika-sama, let us go ahead. As there are five candles here, what should we do?"
"I'll carry them all."
"Eh!? But if monsters were to attack...."
"I'll do this--<<Floating Wind>>."
Fwoosh, the candles part way from Celica's hand.
The five candles float and move toward the bonfire.
They're lit with green flame.

Celica's blue eyes open wide.
"Keika-sama, you're amazing. This is the first time I've seen a magic like this."
"Is that so. Well, I figured as much."
I basically have more God's Arts--my own created magic than normal magic.
How is that possible? --Cause I'm a God.

I was attacked by a sensation of losing strength of my body.
I look at the bonfire and the candle with <<Truth Sight>> at once.

【Bonfire of Green Flame】 You can go to the next floor by putting this magic flame in front of the Floor Door.
【Candle of Magic Vanish】 Keep the magic flame lit by consuming the user's magic power. The flame will become a normal flame if you release your hand or if your magic power is used up.

My MP's decreased a whole bunch!
I had used many magic and kept using <<Truth Sight>> so it wouldn't be strange if it decreased by 10,000 but this is just too much.

I canceled <<Floating Wind>> on the candles except for one.
The candles fell on the floor. The flame on the candles that still had their flame on changed to ordinary orange colored one.
I kept staring at my status, my MP decreased again.
It became 53,0071. 1133 was consumed. 0.2% of the maximum.
Taking all the candles at once meant a decrease by 1%, 5666. No wonder it was intense.
I put it out immediately.

Celica's long blond hair flutter as she rushes up over the candles.
"Keika-sama what's the matter!?"
"These candles consume your magic power. Moreover, it's probably by ratio."
"Ratio!? Then that means, people who have large magic power will lose a lot of it?!"
"That's right.... Celica, try lighting one with the flame."
"Yes."
Celica picks up one candle with her slender fingers and heads toward the blaze on top of the bonfire.
Green flame lights up at once.
Celica's magic power is the lowest here. It's at 165.

Celica, the old man and I are staring at the candle she holds in front of her chest.

However, Celica's magic power isn't decreasing even though I'm looking at it.
It finally decreased by 1 after three minutes.

--So it's really by ratio. 0.2% of 165 is 0.33.
It was decreased by 0.2% in one minute, and after three minutes, it finally reached a number that could be observed.

I give her another order while nodding.
"Next Celica, light another candle with the flame on the candle you have in your hand."
"Eh... y-yes!"
Celica quickly understands, picks up another candle and lights it with the green flame on the first candle.

--However.
The candle that was lit from the flame of another candle had a normal orange flame.
"Flame from another candle won't be green colored huh."
"It's too bad...."
Celica looks disappointed with dropped shoulders.

The old man who was watching speaks.
"Since Keika seems to have a lot of magic power, you shouldn't use them up. There are five candles, so first Celica carries two, and one for me. Once we got to the end and came back, Celica and I will then carry one each. We oughta do a round-trip."

I look at the snake-like narrow road in the dark space.
"No we shouldn't. It looks like it'll take one hour just for a trip. We'd waste three hours if we do a round-trip."
"Then what should we do....?"
Celica looked puzzled, her blue eyes are fogged up with anxiety. Her blond hair glitter from the light of the green flame on the bonfire.

I grin and laugh.
"Of course we end this in just one trip! Like we'll waste time here!"

A dungeon that whittles down your magic power after your physical strength.
Reliably kill the prey after thoroughly weakening them.
It's truly a cunning and repulsive idea.

--Don't think I'll proceed as the demon king envisioned!

Celica's gallant face frowns.
"But how do we do that?"
"Like this."

I took a big step toward the bonfire and drew my Tachi while walking.
"--<<Tempest Blade Grant>>."
The Tachi is clad in tempest. And then I hold the Tachi aloft while staring with Truth Sight.
Celica opens her red lips, dumbfounded.
"E-eeh?"
"O-oy, Keika, what're you gonna do!?"
"Deyaa!"

ZUGAA--!

The prop of the burning bonfire hit the floor.
The pulverized bonfire inclines.
I quickly sheathe my Tachi and hold the bonfire pedestal with both arms.
"It's slightly heavy."
I heave the pedestal and the bonfire which weights around several hundreds kilograms.
And then I lifted them off the floor.

Celica is surprised as she puts her hand on her mouth.
"Ke-Keika-sama! What are you going to do with that!"
"What're doing Keika! --Y-you can't be!"
I laugh after putting down the pedestal for now.
"If doing a round trip is a hassle, then I can just carry the bonfire with me. Besides, look. The flame is still green if it's carried with the pedestal."
"T-that's quite absurd..."
"Your idea ain't humane, in a good meaning. It's at God's or Devil's level y'know..."
The two gradually smile even while looking shocked.

I put down my bag and lift the bonfire on my shoulder.
"I'm going ahead, the old man should go behind me. Next is the big man. Celica will be last with the candles and my bag."
"I understand."
"Got it."
The faces of the two tighten once they've done preparing.
"Now, let's go!"
I step on the narrow road in the space while firmly carrying the bonfire on my shoulder.